Who Decided That Our Timelines Couldn't Match
by 12-Jammie-Dodgers-and-a-Fez
Summary: The Doctor goes to see River after spending an emotional time with her at the singing towers but can't tell her why he's upset because of spoilers.


**A little idea I came up with today. Lost it a bit towards the end but wanted to post it anyway. Let me know if it's awful so I know never to post anything ever again =)**

**Love you all dears.**

**x**

* * *

><p>He thought he'd been quiet, even going as far taking the brakes off as River had shown him after admitting that she herself had learnt from his TARDIS. But now, as he navigated the sparse corridors of Stormcage, it was strangely quiet, more so than usual, and subsequently made each of his footsteps ten times louder as they reverberated off each wall.<p>

"You bad, bad boy." A smirk appearing on the blonde's face, she pressed herself against the bars of her cell, relishing in the tingling feel the cold metal sent through her partially exposed skin.

The Doctor jumped at the purr, spinning towards the cell he had assumed to be empty and instantly reverted to a near childlike state, his cheeks flushing violently.

"River..." His voice rose, breaking halfway through the word as his gulped dramatically, his eyes flicking over the near naked woman held back only by the bars she clung to. His mouth opening and closing repeatedly, he settled on focusing on a spot just behind her, the safest place he could think of in this situation, "What are you...what are you talking about...?"

He fidgeted like a nine year old, his arms seemingly moving as a separate being, each one waving independently. His left rushed to cover his neck, his right finally covering his eyes though his fingers remained parted so as not to block his view of his companion in her underwear.

"I know where you were just now." She tilted her head to the side causing her hair to cascade over her shoulder and played with a particularly curly strand, "Don't act embarrassed now sweetie, I know you've seen it all before." River's thin hand reached through the bar, the fingers lacing around his, pulling the hand before his eyes down to his waist before returning to the other, this time lacing her fingers with his as she removed it from his neck.

Newly exposed, his neck appeared as red as his cheeks, a roughly circular area astonishingly scarlet, rivalling his bowtie; which hung limp around his neck from his previous exploits. Taking advantage of the momentarily distracted man, the archaeologist slipped her hand from the Timelord's and reached into his front pocket for his sonic. After checking both pockets, a difficult task as he stood barely within arm's reach, she frowned, searching his face for answers.

"Your sonic. You lost it?" As she posed the question, his face fell, eyes shifting slightly as they glazed, a memory reinstating itself in his mind.

"No..." Finally replying, he sat cross-legged on the concrete floor, clearing his throat, doing his best to hide any and all emotions that might creep through, "A friend needed it more than I did."

Silence enveloped the couple, seeming to create a bubble between them as time slowly ticked by. Suddenly feeling rather inappropriately dressed for the current mood, River wandered back to her clothes, pulling the dress back over her head in a swift movement.

"So you haven't just come from being with me?" She was by his side once more, or as near to that as she could be with the bars separating them. When he remained silent, she decided on a different approach, "You weren't at my 19th birthday party?"

"I wasn't at your party, no." Cupping River's cheek as she knelt alongside hime, he gazed in her eyes, a sad smile gracing her face as he sighed, "Oh River, who was it that decided our timelines could never match?"

He leant his forehead against the bar, his eyes closing as the woman kissed his brow. It was remarkable to him how quickly she could change to fit his mood. He knew what she had wanted when he first arrived but at the first sign of his upset she had become the affectionate woman that stood before him. Spoilers stopped them from being completely truthful with each other and she was well aware of the rules in place about each of their respective futures: he couldn't answer, so she didn't ask.

"I don't know sweetie. We just never tried to alter it and I suppose we can't now." Her tone matched his somber mood, knowing that he only reacted in this manner when something had happened between the two of him at another point in her timeline, "But you have me now." She pressed her forehead against his, "And I'm here for as long as you need."

"And I'm here for you even when you don't." The Doctor sighed once more, interlocking their fingers, relishing in their closeness though he kept his eyes closed.

* * *

><p>With no natural light to hint at the time, when the man finally reopened his eyes, he had no idea how long he had dosed for, only certain that he had fallen asleep to the soothing sound of River's breathing. Her hand was still linked with his though she had moved slightly, her legs now outstretched with her back leaning against the bars.<p>

"How long have you been sat there?" He questioned, his voice slightly gruff from his sleep.

She yawned, glancing at him momentarily as she thought about it, "No longer than a couple hours. You were having a nightmare about something." She ran her free hand through his hair, messing it slightly, "You seemed okay once I sang to you."

"You sing?" The 909 year old eyebrows knitted together in a small frown, "I've never heard you."

"You will for my 19th birthday." She chuckled, the memory fresh in her mind.

"I love you." His words came out of nowhere, causing her to turn to him again, a smile spreading over her face, "It's true and I want you to be my wife."

At this, her smile broadened to a wild grin as she released an uncharacteristic giggle, "Doctor, don't play with me now."

"I'm not." He stood excitedly, wringing his hands like an anxious school boy, "Find something white and give me five minutes to find a friend of mine."

He leant down, kissing her quickly before leaving at a run, his jacket billowing out behind him as he muttered something about Jack getting ordained.

* * *

><p>It was three hours later that a noise stirred River from her stupor. She instantly recognised the sound of his awkward gait and stood, straightening out the dress she had acquired in 16th century; the only white item she owned other than a jacket or two. Her man ran towards her, a stupid grin upon his face and his sonic in his hand, the light glowing as he pointed it at her cell lock which promptly sprung open.<p>

"I see you got it back then." She sidled past the bars, meeting the Timelord as he slowed to a halt, his smile replaced with a look of confusion.

"Excuse me?" He shook off his confusion however, placing the sonic back in his pocket, "Were you at a costume party or did we just return from visiting Elizabeth the first?"

It was difficult to describe the emotion that hit River at that moment. She knew he made rash decisions daily but it still destroyed her whenever one of their plans fell through. Her face fell, but only for a second however, being replaced by that sorrowful smile she reserved for when she knew a 'spoiler'. That stupid, stupid man.

"I've got another adventure for you if you want to get out of here." Nodding towards his TARDIS, the Doctor thrust his hands in his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet, a clear indication of how early this was in his timeline.

Damn time travel. "No, it's okay." She turned, slowly making her way back into the cell and pulled the bars closed once more, "I should probably just get changed.

Not stopping to question why, the Timelord left. He was not hers yet, still hadn't succumbed to his feelings for her. She may not have been a girl to dream about getting married but she was a girl that dreamt of the perfect man and she had found him even if it wasn't always the right version.

_Damn time travel_, she thought_, who was it that decided our timelines could never match?_

* * *

><p><strong>At some point I'll write her 19th birthday party but I'm not sure when which is why this one's posted as a oneshot. If you have any ideas for her birthday, let me know and I'll see if I can work them in.<strong>

**x**


End file.
